UK value retailer QD Stores has enjoyed record Christmas trading with like-for-like sales up by 8.19%.

GENERAL MERCHANDISE

QD Stores celebrates strong festive sales

31 December 2012 | by The Retail Bulletin

UK value retailer QD Stores has enjoyed record Christmas trading with like-for-like sales up by 8.19%.

The Norwich based company, which operates 38 retail outlets in the east and south of England under the QD, Lathams of Potter Heigham and Cherry Lane Garden Centre brands, attributes the rise to its long-term campaign planning and enhancements to logistics and customer services.

Group managing director Justin Farrington Smith said: “We started planning our Christmas campaign back in January, giving us plenty of time to hone our offer, while investment in IT infrastructure has helped to drive improvements in supply chain availability.”

The group saw like-for-like store sales of festive decorations, novelties and lights rise by 16.64% in the run-up to Christmas with toys sales up by 33.27% and sales of groceries increasing by 26.38%. Household cleaning and toiletries sales rose 43.88% while sales of plants and seeds at the Cherry Lane Garden Centres increased by 26.37%.

QD expanded its Cherry Lane Garden Centre chain to a total of nine sites during 2012 and a joint redevelopment with Morrisons of the former Buyright site at Hadleigh in Suffolk provided QD with a new 20,000 sq ft store.

The company also opened a pop-up store in Watton which traded to expectations. Farrington Smith said: “We look forward to trading more pop-ups in 2013 and are encouraging landlords of suitable premises for the concept to get in touch.”

QD Christmas 2012 results do not include the Towcester, Beverley and Hadleigh sites or online sales and Farrington Smith is optimistic for the company’s prospects in 2013.

“We are working on a major e-commerce re-launch for 2013 with further stores commencing trading so we anticipate an even stronger sales performance for next Christmas,” Farrington Smith added.

Digitally native competitors and demanding customers are forcing a new perspective in retail. AI and machine learning can help you step up to the challenges; and some ‘small and beautiful’ solutions can increase your conversion rates within just a few weeks.